Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Guidelines on Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) on plastic packaging under Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
- It will come into effect from 1st July 2022.
Salient features of EPR
- The Guidelines provide framework to strengthen circular economy of plastic packaging waste, promote development of new alternatives to plastics and provide further next steps for moving towards sustainable plastic packaging by businesses.
- Reuse of rigid plastic packaging material has been mandated in the guidelines to reduce the use of fresh plastic material for packaging.
- The guidelines allow for sale and purchase of surplus extended producer responsibility certificates, thus setting up a market mechanism for plastic waste management.
- The implementation of EPR will be done through a customized online platform which will act as digital backbone of the system.
- In order to ensure monitoring on fulfilment of EPR obligations, the guidelines have prescribed a system of verification and audit of enterprises.
- The Guidelines prescribe a framework for levy of environmental compensation based upon polluter pays principle.
Impacts
- These guidelines will promote development of new alternatives to plastics and provide a roadmap for businesses to move towards sustainable plastic packaging.
- The EPR guidelines will give a boost for formalization and further development of plastic waste management sector.
GS TIMES UPSC PRELIMS & MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS BASED BASICS DAILY ONLINE TEST CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ FOR STATE CIVIL SERVICES
